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Two tires companies in design war

Two agricultural tire producers have sent news releases touting their tires having bigger footprints and carrying heavier loads with less soil compaction.

Fresh off the introduction of Michelin CerexBib, North America’s first improved-flexion (IF) and very-high flexion (VF) radial for harvest, Michelin North America is set to expand its line of Michelin Ultraflex technologies tires at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa.

Meanwhile, Trelleborg launched two new tires within the TM1000 High Power range. Their improved flexion (IF) tires are engineered to carry more load at the same air pressure, or the same load at a lower air pressure, to provide higher farming productivity and “improved environmental care,” according to the company.

Designed using Trelleborg’s TM Blue technology, the new TM1000 High Power tires, during field operations, have proven to provide up to 10 percent more gross foot print area and up to 8 percent more traction versus the premium competitor, Trelleborg claims.

“Several more sizes in the TM1000 HP line will be introduced during 2012,” said Andrea Masella, Trelleborg marketing manager for Agricultural and Forestry Tires in North America. “All sizes are designed to meet specific requests from our original equipment manufacturers and to help professionals produce more in a sustainable way.”

Michelin explains that starting in 2005, it began introducing its line of improved IF-class and VF-class radials. Besides the new tires for high-powered tractors, Michelin introduced its SprayBib radial for self-propelled sprayers, and most recently this spring, the CerexBib for combines.

Now, visitors to the 2012 Farm Progress Show at the end of August will have the chance to see the fourth VF-class tire, the YieldBib radial. During the show, Michelin will demonstrate soil compaction in ways that illustrate how attachments can put different weight on the rear axle of a tractor, significantly altering a tire’s ability to bear the weight and, as a result, soil compaction. A Case IH 315 Magnum tractor will be equipped with a Michelin tire on one side and a standard radial on the other side.